Our ancestors were extremely poor compared to us. They had to spend most of their time just trying to get enough food to eat, and had short life spans in general. Specialization has allowed us to get far richer, and have even more food.

Very true about life expectancy and specialization, but along with all this advancement of our life styles and longevity, it's become very, very easy for the masses to be lulled into a false sense of security and safety. They end up thinking The System will protect them and provide for them.Problem is, is that when SHTF (Sandy, Katrina, etc) it's the individuals who can take care of their own who are the first to reach out to the community to aid others. The System is always late to help, if it does/can at all, and then there's a price to pay for its deployment later in the form of bond referendums, property tax increases, or other monetary deductions from the citizens to pay for Its Assistance.

I'd wager they weren't as poor as you think. They didn't measure their wealth in objects and societal identity. They measured it in family love, a hard days work and in helping their neighbors.

Look around you now; how many of the objects you'd consider in your personal wealth amount require electricity. I was shocked when I made my list. Fully 90% of the 'things I really liked' were useless without power.

Not everyone needs to BE a farmer, but I firmly believe that EVERYONE should know HOW to, and that everyone should know/be taught that what we have now was built from the sweat and effort of previous generations. All of these things didn't magically spring from the fount of The System. It is not out place to kick back and relax and be nothing but consumers, like probably 75% of the population is doing right now. A perfect example of this mentality is the FSA and the EBT crowd. When The System fails them, what will they do? Start fending for themselves and taking care of their own? I say no, they'll throw a tantrum and break other people's things because they don't have access to their handouts.

I don't see the Amish as having too hard a time and I am pretty sure they live longer than 30 some years. Of course they have to work but so what? They have a sense of community that is sadly lacking in most of our society, they have time for fun as well as faith services. They don't use insurance, they do go to doctors and they don't freak out when the electricity fails. With today's technology many of us could even have that with self created power but not huddled by the tens of thousands in a small bit of land like the cities. Everything is a trade off, people who want to live in cities just have to accept that they are dependent for pretty much everything on someone else. Living in a rural area and providing some/most/or all of your own food may not give one the "culture and energy' of living in a city but it's more self sufficient and much more serene. Not to mention better for kids in general.

I see it like this. Maybe I am not good about growing food, but I can fix things. I can trade my output in my specialized skill for the result of a growers....But you had damn sure better know how to do something of use. When TSHTF, paper pushers are gonna be a dime a dozen.

This is so true, and whoever said dumb down education has it. Got talked into teaching ag and natural science this year due to my background. I was "advised" by the principal yesterday I was no longer allowed to teach proper names for plants and animals as it was "too difficult" for the students, they needed to learn it later in HS. This is the same guy who thinks you "borrow" animals and send them home on weekends with kids. First year teaching, most likely last year teaching. I grew up a farm kid and damn proud of it.

Thanks, I think I will keep electricity, the internet, cell phones, automobiles and indoor plumbing where all my poop goes down a pipe and away from my property forever. I'm also pretty happy with all that cheap crap from China, and wines from Australia. Have you noticed yet that you can't grow coffee or chocolate in North America?

.... along the thoughts on education, a wise person told me once that most higher education, ie college, grad school, is geared toward learning how to work for someone else....we need more "out of the box" education that prepares us to be the "someone else".....

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About Me

Supermom, Libertarian, and avid reader. As a stubborn, redheaded big-mouth, I was told to start my own blog and leave other people's alone. Other than that, I'm indescribable without using colorful profanity. Email at hiswiserangel@aol.com